What happens to materials that we compost?
To find out what happens to the other materials that we collect,
please click on the links below.
What happens to the materials we compost?
The cardboard and garden waste that we collect is put into
special vehicles that start to break the material down by mixing
and churning it.
It is then taken to sites near Keynsham, Marksbury and Frome and
along with the garden waste collected from the Recycling Centres,
it is shredded and put into large open air mounds called
windrows.
It takes about 3 months for the shredded material to be turned
into compost.
The compost is turned regularly to add oxygen and moisture
content is measured throughout the process.
Once the compost is ready, it is sieved to a specific
size and used on farmland. Some of the compost that is
produced is also sold to residents of Bath and North East
Somerset.
If you are interested in purchasing some of this
compost, please go to
Buying Locally Produced Compost.
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What's happening inside your compost bin
As you add materials to your compost bin they will start to
break down naturally with very little additional input.
Compost is broken down by a whole host of living creatures
ranging from worms, insects and microbes.
These creatures work best when there is lots of oxygen.
This can be done by turning the compost from time to time.
They also need warmth. Putting your compost bin in a sunny
place and adding materials in bulk rather than little by little all
help to generate heat. The hotter your compost bin, the
faster it will work.
Moisture also has an effect. If there's too little,
nothing will happen. If there's too much it will go
soggy. Composting works best if things are kept damp.
When the compost is ready
Your compost will be ready when it is dark brown and smells nice
and earthy. It should feel like normal soil.
Your compost may not look exactly like the compost you buy at
the shops - it may still have larger items such as twigs and
eggshells in it. This is not a problem. Simply sift out
the larger items along with any material that still needs
composting and return them to your compost bin.
Your freshly sieved compost is nutrient rich, will improve soil
structure, retain moisture, maintain the pH of the soil and
suppress disease.
Compost can be added to flowerbeds and borders, can be
used as a mulch and around trees. It can also be mixed with
soil and used for pots and patio containers, to help feed
lawns and for healthier herbs and vegetables.
